Show ContentsTwose History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Twose family

The surname Twose was first found in Devon, where the name was a trade or occupational name for "a comber or carder of wool." 1 2

Early Sussex records show John le Tosere as holding lands in 1249. A few years later, William le Thosers was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1280 and later, John Tosere was recorded in Devon in 1333. William le Tesere was found in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1275. "The Tozers have been established in Ashburton, [Devon] for more than two centuries. Moses Tozer was an Ashburton tradesman 200 years ago: a family of the name lived there last century, and the name is still to be found there. Henry Tozar, native of North Tawton, was an eminent 17th century divine." 3

Up in Yorkshire, Johannes Tesur was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 and John Toser was listed in the Norfolk Valor Ecclesiasticus, but no date was given. 4

Early History of the Twose family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Twose research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1141, 1385, 1445, 1510, 1559, 1600, 1602, 1605, 1650, 1748, 1788, 1801, 1805, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1812 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Twose History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Twose Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tose, Towse, Toase, Tows, Towze, Towz, Toaze, Touse and many more.

Early Notables of the Twose family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Tozer (1602-1650), an English Puritan clergyman and academic from North Tawton, Devon. He was elected to the Westminster Assembly but never sat there.Aaron Tozer (1788-1854), English captain in the navy, born in 1788, entered the navy in June 1801 on board the Phœbe, with Captain Thomas Baker, on the Irish station. He afterwards served in the East Indies and on the home station, and, again with Baker, in the Phœnix, in which on 10 Aug. 1805 he was present at the capture of the French frigate Didon (James, Naval History, iv. 66-74; Troude, Batailles...
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Twose Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Twose family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..


Contemporary Notables of the name Twose (post 1700) +

  • Richard Twose (b. 1963), English left-handed batsman cricketer who played for Devon
  • Luis Antonio Twose (b. 1950), Spanish field hockey player who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics
  • Roger Graham Twose (b. 1968), English-born, New Zealand cricketer who played 16 Tests and 87 One Day Internationals for New Zealand


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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